The Gospel

The Gospel

Monday, August 9, 2010

Christi-Unity?

In our regular preaching ministry at Bethel we have been studying through Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus. The first three chapters are rich and full of many, wonderful theological truths. There is one common thread that flows through those many verses: Jesus Christ, in his death, burial and resurrection, brings a people that are separated and at enmity with God and each other together. He tears down the walls. He opens the means of relationship, both vertically and horizontally. Ephesians 2 says that we are built up, Jews and Gentiles, into the dwelling place for God.

This has great implications for each of us as followers of Jesus. We don't unity for unity's sake. We do not pursue uniformity ignoring diversity. We pursue unity because of a common confession - Jesus is Lord. We celebrate diversity within our unity because God is the Father of us all. In Christ we are now one - brothers and sisters. Unity is essential for those who know Christ. He prayed for our unity in the gospels. He died for our unity on the cross. His Spirit is empowering us for unity right now. Why - to bring him glory.

This week, as you think about the relationships you have with those in your church, try and identify areas that you have broken down unity and built up walls with others. Have you not extended forgiveness to someone who has wronged you? Have you refused to repent when it was your mistake? Have you allowed a careless word of gossip, falsehood or slander to tear down others? Unity and intimate relationships can take a life time to build and it only takes one moment to tear it all down.

Jesus is intent on making peace and unity; tearing down walls; and building relationships. The devil is focused on creating hostility, putting up walls, tearing down relationships and bringing disunity and chaos to our relationships.

Are you in the habit of building...or destroying?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Disunity is so much easier to identify when there are physical attributes, and sometimes we work hard to bring unity when we see the physical and economical difference. Christ wants us to go beyond that and have true unity in the church. I think the unity we are looking for is that Biblical Unity that we fail to achieve from time to time.

Brooke M. Taylor said...

That is an interesting point. What do you see as being a description of Biblical Unity?

The Outpost - Bible Preaching (Brooke Taylor)